Hague Court orders India to uphold Indus Waters Treaty

ISLAMABAD: A major legal development has emerged in the long-running water dispute between Pakistan and India, with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ordering India to uphold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and suspending work related to its Ratle hydroelectric project.

The Hague-based tribunal issued an award addressing the status of the 1960 treaty, alongside an order concerning interim measures for the Ratle hydroelectric plant, according to the report.

The decision comes amid growing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours over water resources and India’s hydroelectric projects on rivers covered by the treaty.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered with the World Bank’s involvement, governs the sharing of waters of the Indus river system between Pakistan and India. Pakistan has repeatedly raised objections over the design and operation of Indian hydroelectric projects, particularly those located on the western rivers.

The Ratle project, located on the Chenab River, has been at the centre of a prolonged dispute between the two countries. Pakistan has argued that certain design features could affect downstream water flows and violate provisions of the treaty.

The PCA has previously asserted its competence to hear Pakistan’s concerns despite India’s objections.

The latest development could add another layer to already strained Pakistan-India relations, with water security remaining a highly sensitive issue.

The tribunal’s proceedings are being administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which is headquartered at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

For Pakistan, the ruling is significant because the Indus system remains vital to agriculture, drinking water and the country’s broader economy. The decision is therefore likely to attract close attention in Islamabad as both sides continue to contest the future of the treaty and India’s hydropower projects.